Bishop Fernandes praises religious worker visa rule change, says work still to be done

Jan 16, 2026 / 14:35 pm (CNA).

Bishop Earl Fernandes of Columbus, Ohio, expressed gratitude that the Department of Homeland Security is easing visa restrictions for religious workers and called for passage of a bill to address visa backlogs.

“This rule change provides some much-needed relief!” Fernandes said in a statement released Jan. 15. “We take comfort in knowing that sacramental and pastoral care will not be disrupted in our parishes, schools, hospitals, and prison ministries.”

Under the rule, religious workers in the country on R-1 visas would no longer be required to reside outside of the U.S. for a full year if they reach their statutory five-year maximum period of stay before completing their green card applications.

Fernandes said 21 priests and 13 sisters who hold R-1 visas and work within the diocese would have been affected in the absence of the rule change.

“While R-1 religious workers are still required to depart the U.S., the rule establishes that there is no longer a minimum period of time they must reside and be physically present outside the U.S. before they seek readmission in R-1 status,” according to a DHS statement about the Jan. 16 publication of the rule in the Federal Register.

Legislative fix

Fernandes said: “I encourage all of the faithful to press for a permanent legislative fix and to support the Religious Workforce Protection Act.” The bill, sponsored by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Virginia, would extend R-1 nonimmigrant visa status beyond the usual five-year limit and waive the one-year foreign residency requirement for those who left the U.S., allowing them to stay and serve their communities while waiting for green cards. Rep. Mike Carey, R-Ohio, introduced a House version of the bill.

Fernandes thanked Carey; Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio; and Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, for their efforts to support the legislation. Moreno, he said, “intervened personally to work for the rule change.”

“The impact of our international priests and religious across the United States is pivotal in helping us build a civilization of love, assisting in the growth of the virtues of solidarity and fraternity, and providing the sacramental and pastoral needs of our people, an increasingly diverse group from around the world,” Fernandes said. “I urge you to continue to push for the passage of the Religious Workforce Protection Act with your representatives and ask for your continued prayers for all clergy and religious throughout our diocese and around the world, while offering prayers of gratitude for our civic leaders and for our priests and religious who continue to serve the members of our community.”

Kaine introduced the measure in April 2025 with support from Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Jim Risch, R-Idaho. The bill would modify rules to allow religious workers to bypass a requirement to be strictly tied to their original job while waiting for green cards.

“Faith communities across America — including my own parish in Richmond — depend on foreign religious workers and suffer greatly when these dedicated members of their congregations are forced to leave the country due to no fault of their own,” Kaine said. “This interim final rule from DHS is a step in the right direction and will reduce hardships to temples, churches, mosques, and other religious communities throughout the U.S.”

“Now it’s time for Congress to take the next step and pass the Kaine-Collins-Risch Religious Workforce Protection Act to further streamline the bureaucratic process for foreign-born pastors, priests, rabbis, nuns, imams, and other religious workers to continue their work here in the United States,” he added.

“I joined Sens. Kaine and Risch in introducing the Religious Workforce Protection Act when I noticed Maine parishes where I attend Mass were losing their priests because their R-1 visas expired while their EB-4 applications were still pending. I saw this issue creating a real crisis in our state. We urged the previous administration to fix this issue, but the problem went unaddressed — until today,” Collins said. “We will continue working to pass our legislation to provide full and lasting relief to religious workers and the communities they serve in Maine and across the country.”

“Idaho’s religious communities and their beloved clergy are central to our right to worship. That’s why I proudly introduced the Religious Workforce Protection Act,” Risch said. “The Trump administration’s action aligns with our efforts to ensure Idaho’s religious workers can stay in the U.S. and continue serving their congregations while their visas are processed. I will continue working with Sens. Collins and Kaine to pass our legislation and ensure none of Idaho’s religious workers face the threat of leaving the communities they love and serve so faithfully.”

Source: https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/269127/bishop-fernandes-praises-religious-worker-visa-rule-change